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Old 12-29-2011, 07:41 AM
 
29 posts, read 127,586 times
Reputation: 29

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I will be making between 200k-300k next year and am looking to make California my next home. I really love the idea of surf, soccer, and warm weather year long but when I break down the numbers after taxes, student loans, mortgage, savings/retirement, etc. my salary feels pretty thin.

Either everyone in California is in serious debt or they are seriously rich. How do you guys pull this off? What kind of salary does one need to support a small family and live in a half decent home (600K)? Even on my salary pulling this off seems like a challenge.

I know this depends on your proximity to the ocean and desirable/safe neighborhoods. l am looking mostly at Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Pasadena, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Temecula, parts of Orange County. Everywhere I look I see more or less about the same cost of living. I know not everyone makes six figure salaries in California so what is the scoop? How do you get by?
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Old 12-29-2011, 07:47 AM
 
Location: San Diego
50,686 posts, read 47,542,397 times
Reputation: 34290
It's really not that difficult. We don't need a new car every year. We don't need a brand new house. Ditch the baubles and it's really pretty easy. Choose what is priority and so long as you don't need to try and impress everyone by throwing money around it's not hard at all. We don't eat out every day. We don't take multiple expensive vacations a year. No problem.
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:00 AM
 
7,150 posts, read 10,952,537 times
Reputation: 3806
Quote:
Originally Posted by jklmnop View Post
I will be making between 200k-300k next year and am looking to make California my next home. I really love the idea of surf, soccer, and warm weather year long but when I break down the numbers after taxes, student loans, mortgage, savings/retirement, etc. my salary feels pretty thin.

Either everyone in California is in serious debt or they are seriously rich. How do you guys pull this off? What kind of salary does one need to support a small family and live in a half decent home (600K)? Even on my salary pulling this off seems like a challenge.

I know this depends on your proximity to the ocean and desirable/safe neighborhoods. l am looking mostly at Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Pasadena, Burbank, Thousand Oaks, Temecula, parts of Orange County. Everywhere I look I see more or less about the same cost of living. I know not everyone makes six figure salaries in California so what is the scoop? How do you get by?
$200K -- $300K you say? Thin? Serious post?
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:04 AM
 
Location: MO->MI->CA->TX->MA
7,031 posts, read 14,547,503 times
Reputation: 5586
See the tips in the article:

Micro-frugality VS. Macro-frugality | OutOfYourRut.com
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:08 AM
 
Location: So Ca
26,947 posts, read 27,170,879 times
Reputation: 25123
Quote:
Originally Posted by jklmnop View Post
Either everyone in California is in serious debt or they are seriously rich. How do you guys pull this off?
It's a big state. Not everyone lives in Beverly Hills.

Quote:
Everywhere I look I see more or less about the same cost of living.
Everywhere? Kind of a broad generalization there.
Try: https://www.city-data.com/forum/calif...ford-live.html
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:12 AM
 
Location: Playa Vista
327 posts, read 769,614 times
Reputation: 322
Quote:
Originally Posted by nullgeo View Post
$200K -- $300K you say? Thin? Serious post?
I second this comment. $200k-$300k is some serious moolah. Dude, I really think you're ready for a very, VERY comfortable stay wherever the hell you go in Cali -- even in SF!
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:15 AM
 
Location: Chandler, AZ
5,800 posts, read 6,593,349 times
Reputation: 3151
You can live quite nicely anywhere in Calif. for $200K/yr.

Promise.
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:22 AM
 
Location: Monterey, CA
276 posts, read 778,026 times
Reputation: 141
Sorry to break it to you, but you're going to need at least 350K per year to live in California.
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:28 AM
 
Location: MO->MI->CA->TX->MA
7,031 posts, read 14,547,503 times
Reputation: 5586
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmoothBBQ View Post
Sorry to break it to you, but you're going to need at least 350K per year to live in California.
Define "live"

I don't make anywhere near that and I "lived" on my own fine for almost 2 years..
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Old 12-29-2011, 09:56 AM
 
29 posts, read 127,586 times
Reputation: 29
Yes this is a serious post. Like I said, after taxes my 20k/month becomes 14k/month. After student loans (medical school is expensive) 11k/month. 50% of my salary is gone before I know it. Mortgage for 600k home probably another 4k/month? Throw in utilities, car payments, savings/retirement, it goes pretty fast.

I wont be living the high life by any means. I will be driving a toyota tacoma to work, living in a 3bed single family home in who knows where. Hopefully somewhere nice/safe but definitely not beverly hills.

I am not complaining, just want to know how people get by on less in California? The average home in most areas I am looking at is in the 600k-700k price range. What salary do most people in these neighborhoods get by on?
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